do you invite strangers for shabbos meals?

yo'ma

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 11:49 am

We did once. One erev shabbos, or was it thursday? Anyway, no difference, one afternoon, my dh was at mcdonalds ordering lunch and saw these 3 american girls having trouble with ordering, so he helped them. We ended up sitting next to them (I came later) and started talking and invited them for shabbos lunch. It was really nice and never saw or heard from them again, which was fine. It wasn't fine because they were troublesome or anything, just they came over to eat and nothing else, we weren't becoming friends. That was the first time I used cheek meat for the chulent and I didn't know how salty it was, so that week the chulent wasn't edible Rolling Eyes

otherwise the rest of the food was fine Smile

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Maybe one of them is on here now because it was 4 years ago Wink

.

Do you invite strangers for shabbos meals? Do you because it's your "job"? Do you because you like having guests? Why? If you don't, why not?

I wouldn't mind more, but I'm not finding people and my dh isn't the type either, but he does invite single men from shul sometimes, but then again, they're not strangers Wink

, but maybe strange LOL

j/k.

Fox

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 12:24 pm

We don't have as many guests as we used to, but we used to constantly have people we hadn't met before. Sometimes they were referred to us, and occasionally they just kind of showed up. For a while, we wondered if our number was on the restroom wall or something at O'Hare. Every time flights were canceled or delayed, we'd have tons of guests!

Rubber Ducky

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 12:32 pm

Sure we do, and often. Kol Yisroel chaverim.

One of the nice things about being frum is that you can travel most anywhere and other frum Jews will help you out. For example, when we moved (drove) across the country to Baltimore 12 years ago, we unexpectedly ended up in Columbus, Ohio, for Shabbos. We made a few phone calls and the local community -- complete strangers -- set us up as guests for meals and and a place to stay. Of course, our first call was to our Rabbi in California, so he could vouch that we were not escaped criminals on the lam, but still! What wonderful hospitality!

When you get to Baltimore, give a call! The Ducky family welcomes guests. No escaped criminals, please.

shanie5

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 12:32 pm

once was in our kosher store and s/o called up looking for a place for shabbos. I accepted. they have become good friends. another time there was a man in town starting a new job. we welcomed him to come whenever he needed a place. he is also a good friend today.

we have also had strangers who never became friends, but its always worth having them anyway.

yo'ma

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 12:38 pm

I just remembered that recently we saw a few american tourists and I asked my dh if he minds if we invite them over for shabbos. Besides for it being erev shabbos, he just wasn't in the mood that week. In the end, they were staying too far anyway.

chocolate moose

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 12:48 pm

yo'ma wrote:

chocolate moose wrote:

I'm sorry, McDonald's ?

There's a kosher mcdonalds here. I have mentioned it before.

I'm sorry. I really need a spreadsheet to keep everyone's details straight.

FTR, no I don't really invite strangers over. But if someone's in town and needs a place, I will find them a good place if I can, and even accompany them if the host is willing to have us all.

MrsMortgage

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 1:18 pm

Absolutely! I've even invited people I just met in Costco or Target who recognized me as being frun and made a "Jewish Comment". Believe it or not they will come for a Friday night meal and love it!

Last edited by MrsMortgage on Fri, Feb 04 2011, 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total

5S5Sr7z3

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 1:20 pm

No. We used to invite this guy, cuz we felt bad for him, and then he came back during the week when DH and I were both at work, broke into our home and stole all the money and jewelry he could find. Havent had guests other than friends since then.

granolamom

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 1:48 pm

I did once. Someone on the local shul email list was organizing Yom Tov invites for divorcees so we signed up. It was really very nice, and I meant to continue inviting her back, but I'm not good about getting my act together.

saw50st8

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 1:56 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

yo'ma wrote:

chocolate moose wrote:

I'm sorry, McDonald's ?

There's a kosher mcdonalds here. I have mentioned it before.

Why not assume when people openly talk about places like McDonalds that its kosher? Frum Jews don't eat there unless its a kosher one. Or they are getting a soda/coffee/water or using the bathroom...

zaq

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 2:13 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

Why not assume when people openly talk about places like McDonalds that its kosher? Frum Jews don't eat there unless its a kosher one.

Not everyone is aware that there's such a thing as a kosher Mcdonal's. and in Argentina, no less. I never heard of such a thing till right now.

levial

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 2:56 pm

We did when we lived in a small community. It seemed we were the choice for younger couples, a few shidduchs who needed to stay at a place other than their date's house, and so on.

I enjoy having guests but I do like to put too much effort into it. DH is kinda shy too, so I always ask him. Like your DH, its about mood- because if the guest is male its more effort on the social end for him (walk to/from shul, etc.)

MMMM Kosher McDonald's.

Shabbat Shalom!

Chayalle

Fri, Feb 04 2011, 3:08 pm

A relative of mine once got a call before Shabbos from a guy who said he got her number from a good friend of hers who he is friendly with, and he needs a place for Shabbos lunch. She said sure.

The guy was a creep. He came for lunch and paid too much attention to her teenage DD's. When her DD (who is quite attractive looking) mentioned something about a music recital she was having he tried to find out when and where so he could come! He kept trying to engage her in more conversation, wanted to play a game with her, etc...he hung around after the meal and my relative and her DH did not go to sleep that afternoon, as they were really nervous.

After Shabbos, she called her friend and the friend had no idea who the guy was....they found out that he had once been by the friend's in-laws, and may have seen pictures of my relatives kids there as they had been at the friends' simcha...

It was really creepy. Since then, said relative is a bit more careful about who she will have over.

Sad world of today.